Small Time Crooks

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All Rise...

Judge Barrie Maxwell ventures out from his safe, happy world of classic movies to review Woody Allen's latest offering. It's a safe, unassuming, rather amusing little crime caper. Read his decision for his take.

The Charge

Small Time Woody, but thankfully so.

Opening Statement

Woody Allen looks as though he's having some fun making movies once again.
For a time there, with the charming but uneven Sweet and Lowdown (1999), the dull Celebrity (1998) with Kenneth Branagh's
uninspiring Woody Allen impersonation, and the pitiful "musical"
Everybody Says I Love You (1996), it was becoming a chore to sit through
Allen's efforts. Not so with his latest, though. Small Time Crooks is no
masterpiece, but there are enough chuckles and fine performances to make the
95-minute film an amiable time-passer.

Dreamworks has now released Small Time Crooks in a nice-looking, if
spare, DVD package.

Facts of the Case

Ex-con Ray Winkler has tried but not made much of a success of going straight
when one day he has an idea for one last big-time heist that will set him and
his wife Frenchy up for a life of ease in Florida. The idea? Rent a vacant pizza
parlour two doors away from a bank, tunnel into the bank from the basement,
clean out the vault on a weekend, and make a clean getaway. With the aid of
three friends—all about as inept as Ray—the plan is put in motion.
Meanwhile, the main floor of the pizza parlour has been turned into a cookie
outlet, run by Frenchy. Predictably, Ray and his friends botch their efforts,
but Frenchy's cookies are such a smash that she and Ray become millionaires.

Settling into a life of luxury, Ray soon becomes bored with success and
longs for the simple enjoyments of old—pizzas, poker and beer. Meanwhile,
Frenchy seeks to improve herself so that she can fit into high society without
making a fool of herself. She enlists the aid of suave art dealer David to
educate her in the finer things.

Soon Ray and Frenchy are leading separate lives as a result, but another of
Ray's big ideas for "one-last-score" and a cookie business surprise
for Frenchy put everything in doubt.

The Evidence

Woody Allen's films work best when they deal lovingly with the idiosyncrasies
of New York life. Historically, Allen has focused on the trendy or arty sets in
delivering his material, with the best examples being Annie Hall (1977), Manhattan (1979), Hannah and Her
Sisters (1986), Crimes and
Misdemeanors (1990), and Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993). In Small
Time Crooks, the approach is a little different with Ray and Frenchy leading
a "Honeymooners"- like existence, before moving into the big-time.
Once his protagonists become rich, Allen seems on safer ground with the material
and we experience the familiar (if intentionally exaggerated in the case of this
film) jabs at the pretentiousness of high society existence for which Allen is
known. In the main, these hit the mark and the film is full of small chuckles,
but no real belly laughs.

A fine cast has been assembled. Most notable is Tracey Ullman who seems to
have a really good time playing the brassy Frenchy, particularly when she
becomes a fish-out-of-water in high society. She just lights up the screen with
her vivacious personality. Hugh Grant, in a role somewhat reminiscent of his
work in Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), is quite
effective as David the art dealer. His characteristic air of bemusement works
well as a response to the social gaffes that Frenchy is continually making.
Elaine May as the dim-witted cousin May, the woman Ray increasingly seems drawn
to as he becomes disenchanted with high society life, is a good foil for Allen's
quips. It's also good to see comedienne Elaine Stritch in a small role as
society matron Chi Chi Potter. Jon Lovitz and Michael Rapaport are fun as two of
Ray's crooks, but their contribution is mainly confined to the early parts of
the film.

There's an air of comfortableness about Small Town Crooks. After you
settle in to the film and see the way things are going, you're happy to sit back
and just let the rest happen. Aside from seeing Woody back in familiar comedy
territory with a character that does a lot less whining than had become the norm
for him, this is probably due to the well-oiled machinery of a crew that has
worked with Allen for many years. It includes producer Jean Doumanian (seven
films in seven years), production designer Santo Loquasto (20 films over the
past two decades), executive producer Letti Aronson (seven films in seven
years), and costume designer Suzanne McCabe (three films in seven years). Among
the players, Small Time Crooks represents Tracey Ullman's third outing
with Allen.

DreamWorks has given us a good, workable DVD of Small Time Crooks.
The film is presented in anamorphic widescreen preserving the original aspect
ratio of 1.85:1 with 24 scene selections. The image is generally sharp with rich
colours, deep blacks and good shadow detail. Edge enhancement is rather
noticeable from time to time, however. The sound track is one-channel mono, but
for a dialogue-driven film, does the job quite adequately.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

As is typical with Allen films, supplements are meager. There is a theatrical
trailer, production notes accessible by the menu and also reproduced on a
four-page pamphlet, and cast and crew information for 17 individuals.

Closing Statement

Small Time Crooks is an enjoyable comedy—a good evening's
entertainment if you're not expecting anything too startling. It provides a good
ration of chuckles and several high caliber performances. Best of all, for Woody
Allen fans, it gives us more of the old-time Allen in his dim-witted nebbish
persona without so much of the whining that has tended to characterize his more
recent outings. DreamWorks's DVD is a nice, workable presentation of the film,
but rather skimpy on supplementary content. Ardent Woody Allen fans will want to
have this disc; casual admirers will probably be content with a rental.

The Verdict

The court releases Small Time Crooks unconditionally and Woody Allen
is congratulated for a spirited return to the type of role "what brung
him." This court stands adjourned.